By Fritz Radovan
Part four
HOW LONG AT THE SERVICE OF AN ANMIK?! KOL MIRAKAJ ANSWERS
OPENING LETTER, Mr. ABAZ ERMEN
New York – June 1967
Memorie.al / “…I believe that he expressed the feelings of the entire Albanian people, that if our neighbors understand the need for peaceful coexistence and loyal cooperation of good neighborliness, give us back the rights that belong to us, the Albanian people, sincere friendship with the Greeks and the Slavs of the Balkans.”
Continues from last issue
Kole Mirakaj (1967)
- The German army arrived, the commander of the first division, General Carchanico, asked me to speak through the late Major, Lek Marashi. He told me that the German army had come only for the strategic needs of the War, to fill the void left by the Italian army in the Adriatic, that he considered Albania a friendly country, and in that sense, the German army would stay, that it would not meddle in internal affairs and promised me His help.
I promised him cooperation, to maintain peace, on the condition that if the Anglo-American army lands, the Albanian forces do not participate in the fighting, supporting either side, since Albania declares itself neutral. He also accepted this thesis, as long as we kept calm behind the front.
I told him that in order to maintain peace without riots, the communist gangs must be eradicated, and I told him my plan, you asked him for the weaponry that would be taken from the Italian army. He promised me! I told him that this government should fall, but I am always ready, they gave me all my contribution, which was discussed.
After two days, Minister Neubacher came, together with Xhafer Deva, from Belgrade. The opponents managed to fill their minds, Neubacher and Deva, to overthrow our government and that’s how it happened. General Carchanico, you immediately left the Command of Tirana and His place, another general took it, who had no moral obligation to me.
Not only that, I got news from one of the members of the Executive Committee, which was formed under the chairmanship of Bedri Pejani (reliably told), that the Germans would arrest me and deport me in Germany, like the old man (!). This forced me to leave Tirana immediately and, at dawn on September 13, 1943, together with my family and, with 25 young men, to face the dead, armed to the hilt, I left Tirana and, on the same day, I arrived in Puka.
Only in August 1944, I was able to clarify with the German Command. General Fitztum sent three of his officers to Iballa to invite me to Tirana. Went!
I talked to the general openly and he understood that it was not as the opponents had presented me. I showed him the Defense Plan (since then it was time to assist him), and the agreement I had with General Carchanico.
He obeyed my arguments and promised me, they gave me everything that was necessary, but on the condition that the forces that would be gathered should not have a party character, but only a national – military one. He demanded the pledge from Sylço Beg Bushati, Gjon Marka Gjoni, Mit’hat Frashëri and mine, that our weapons would not be fired against the German army, under any circumstances.
As soon as I left the general’s audience (Major Lek Marashi was also present here), I immediately went to the Minister of Education, the brilliant Koço Muka, and asked him to give me an interview with Mit’hat Frashëri. The baking was done that same day, at Koço’s house. We talked with Mit’hat Frashërin’ in the presence of Koço Mukë, the critical situation of the country. I told him line by line the conversation with General Fitztum, His promises and conditions.
I told him that; Shkodra and the Northern Highlands would be ready to answer His call. They had assured me that Sylço Beg Bushati, Gjon Marka Gjoni and, in general, Krenët e Maleve, and no less than 12,000 fighters, would come out of Shkodra province alone.
I like my job and he declared himself ready to take on that burden, but he asked me to propose to Mehdi Bey to take the Initiative, as; Mit’hat Frashëri himself would be the head of the Regency and by his side. “If Mehdi Bey doesn’t take the initiative, then – he said – I’ll take it!”
The next day, I presented myself to the President of the Regency, who received me immediately and with many people. I explained everything to Mit’hat Beu. He agreed to invite to Tirana, Krenët e Malësive, with the exception of Gjon Marka Gjon and Sylçe Beg Bushati. Without these two men, nothing could be done, so I do not agree with Mehdi Beu!
I turned to Mit’hat Bey again, but I couldn’t find him in the excitement of the first day’s words. Even this enterprise was made to fail by the late Mit’hat Frashëri, in Tirana, and by another personality in Shkodër, who was not from the “National Front”.
For the sake of historical truth, I affirm and testify that; at the meeting of the “Shkodra Covenant”, here at the house of Hafiz Ali Kraja, when I referred to the talks in Tirana, as the two representatives of the ‘Balli Kombëtar’ had asked me: Lec Kurti and Omer Ruzhdija, in the name of ‘Balli’ ‘, of the province of Shkodra, declared themselves ready, to commit together, without party character, just as General Fitztum had stipulated, even if the Central Committee of ‘Balli’, would not give consent .
Here is another personality, who did not give up his party character, who declared that; his side; had decided to go out illegally that night, nevertheless, he claimed to be sent the part of the weapons, food, etc., that would be taken by the Germans.
Illegal ones; declare against the Germans, and take the weapons from the Germans!?
Why are we loyal to the “Axis”?
- Why from the “Axis”, we had a promise and security with independent Albania, among the true borders of its ethnicity. This promise began to come true, with the unification of Kosovo and other provinces that joined the Albanian State in 1941, we were also strengthened by the concessions that Mussolini was giving us one after another, based on the demands of the declaration of Shkodra, dated April 12, 1939.
- These promises were not given by the Allies and could not be expected from them, since they were allies with Yugoslavia and Greece; moreover, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, of Great Britain, the brilliant Anthony Eden, had officially declared, in the House of Commons, since 1942:
“After this War with the Allied victory, Albania will be recognized with independence and territorial integrity, within the borders of 1913, with a rectification, in the borders of the South”. For us, this would mean giving up Korça and Gjinokastra to Greece, without which there would be no sense of an Albanian State.
He wanted to say that we definitely had to give Kosovo and the other Liberated Provinces to Yugoslavia in April 1941. No, we could not betray these holy parts of the Motherland.
In addition, (which confirmed the commitments made by England in Albania), it was also the fact that the Allies did not accept the formation of an Albanian Government in exile, under King Zog, as they had done for other nationalities to be occupied by the armies of the ‘Axis’. When I was put in the service of the Allied agents, against the Axis, among such conditions, it seemed to us that; we wear the knife with our hand, Nana!
- The conviction of the need for loyalty to the ‘Axis’ was especially strengthened after we got hold of the plan of the Serbian general, Dragutin Mihajlovic (Drazha), at that time Commander-in-Chief of the Chetniks in Yugoslavia, and Minister of War in the Government M. Tij, Peter II, based in London.
In that plan, and in the orders for its implementation, he gave instructions to the commanders of the Chetnik units, that on the day that would be set, they would march on Kosovo, Metohi and Sanxhak, to exterminate all Albanians and Muslims. They would march on Shkodër and occupy the port of Shengjin, which would be annexed to the new Yugoslavia. That the Albanians of the Lands were enslaved, they were not exterminated, this fate that Mihajlović did not win!
Towards the Allies
We do not commit acts of hostility against the Allies. We did not follow them, capture them, nor kill their military missions, which went down to Albania, to create confusion for the benefit of the Allied cause. This can be confirmed by the then RAF Major Neell, who I saved before he fell into the hands of the Germans, in Truen t Puka, and twice I had him as a guest for talks (requested by him), but they ended without cooperation agreement, with which I rejected the offers, for personal benefits, you asked the national government, which is not in a position, to give them to me.
Today, the historical circumstances have changed, and since politics is not demagoguery, but reality, with those Allied powers of that time, we would be loyal and loyal, as we were with the ‘Axis’, because they, like us, the Albanians, are anti-communists, that’s all, we are guaranteed the Rights that belong to the Albanian Nation!
You Mr. Abaz Ermeni, for more than twenty years, you have been proud in words and press, that you have killed Italian and German soldiers, you have increased the numbers tenfold. Forget that those soldiers could not be considered fascists and Nazis, but the Sons of two peoples, whose friendship Albania has always needed and deserves, and that you insult those peoples with those insults.
Turkey occupied us and kept us in captivity and darkness for almost five centuries, so we were friends, but after 1912, historical circumstances changed with Turkey as well. Today, the Republic of Turkey supports Albania’s independence, therefore it is in the national interest to try to be friends with it, not to constantly insult it, as you do!
We did what we thought was useful for the national issue. Good or bad, time has told and history has given the final verdict. But, don’t forget that, the hard disk is the same! Albania was ruined! Who is to blame?
Only the conscience of the Albanians and History gave the answer! You would have one task: Nobare, don’t try to please everyone, friend of Albania!
Don’t tell me: After the war ended as it ended, with its consequences, Fatzeza, for our country, what good is Albania for the future, you showed me hostility against Italy and Germany, you continued to despise and denigrate Turkey?! And these are today the only peoples who participate in the alliance with America, in the Atlantic Pact! Do you know that, in the Atlantic Pact, there is also someone who is a friend of Albania, and that the official Albania (not the People) is a friend of the colleagues of that Pact; therefore, today we need friends within the Pact!
Remember that; Italy today; The State is interested in preserving Albania’s independence and integrity! I remind you of de Gasperi’s statement! I inform you that; when Trieste was in danger; the Allies handed over to Yugoslavia, and Albania was swallowed up as an autonomous republic, by Yugoslavia, the Italian Supreme Court said to its government: “If it is Italy, today it cannot protect Trieste and Albania, let them release Trieste, but in no way, they let the Independence of Albania disappear”.
Even the Germans are interested in the Albanian state, independent in the Balkans, to balance the Serbian influence. In addition, they have always shown a special sympathy for the Albanian People, so much so that Albanian scholars have called us “Herrenvolk” (Goddess People), not for the wealth and modern civilization, but for the noble character and tradition, without which the Albanian, it would not be mâ Albanian!
I add, I believe, that he expressed the feelings of the entire Albanian people, that if our neighbors understand the need for peaceful coexistence, and the loyal cooperation of good neighborliness, you will return to us the rights that belong to us, the Albanian people, sincere friendship with the Greeks and the Slavs of the Balkans. Memorie.al
New York, June, 1967
Kole B. Mirakaj
Note: This material has no difference from the original. In parentheses are the Author’s notes.
Faithfully copied by Fritz Radovani.
Melbourne, September, 2012.
